Principal, driver held, face murder charge

TNS and Agencies

Chandigarh/Sangrur, February 16

A day after four children were charred to death in a fire tragedy involving a ramshackle van in Longowal, the police on Sunday slapped murder charges against the driver and the owner-cum-principal of the school to which the vehicle belonged.

Sunam DSP Sukhbinder Pal Singh said school owner-cum-principal Lakhwinder and van driver Dalbir Singh were arrested on the murder charge on the complaint of a girl’s father. “We have procured three days’ police remand of the accused,” said Balwant Singh, SHO, Longowal police station.

“The complainant has stated that on previous occasions too, the school principal and the driver had been warned about the condition of an auto-rickshaw which they had provided for ferrying children,” the DSP said.

When asked that the van was stated to be very old, the DSP said they have sought all records from the regional transport authorities. “These should be available on Monday,” he said.

“Complainant and Navjot Kaur’s father Jasvir Singh. has alleged the school management did not make proper transportation arrangements in spite of his repeated requests,” said Dr Sandeep Garg, SSP.

Earlier, the police had booked the principal, school management and the van driver on charges of causing culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 of the IPC. The murder charge was added later.

Meanwhile, the bodies of four children were consigned to flames at Longowal on Sunday. Four panels of 12 doctors conducted the post-mortem examination at the Civil Hospital here on Sunday night.

“The children died of burns and asphyxiation. The bodies were charred badly. Simranjit’s body was identified without any problem, while Aradhya’s body was identified from a silver anklet. The other two children were sisters,” said Senior Medical Officer (SMO) Dr Kirpal Singh.

Kulwinder Singh, uncle of the three cousins, said: “The children died because of the negligence of the education and transport authorities. The state government must take corrective measures to prevent such mishaps in future.”

Congress leader Harman Bajwa said he would request the government for the early release of an ex-gratia of Rs7.25 lakh each to the families of the victims.The police are investigating whether or not the van was purchased against valid documents.